Page 24 of Gumiho Kiss
Chin Sun rolled her lips, wishing she didn’t need to share this next part.“Well, that’s not exactly true....When the man who attacked me showed up, he—he swallowed it.”
Min Joon’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.“What?Someone swallowed your bead?But don’t fox beads store human energy?”
She nodded.“If I don’t get it back from him soon, he’s going to die.”
Her friend turned away and plopped into one of the chairs.His mouth was a tight line.“If he tried to kill you, perhaps it’s better if he’s gone.”
Chin Sun blinked.Min Joon wasn’t usually so callous.Out of the two of them, she’d always thought him the better person, the more reluctant to leave casualties.
She took the seat next to him, wishing the situation were that simple.“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.”
Chin Sun may be an outlaw, but she still had honor.Those who’d met their end at her hand had either been vile transgressors of the law or had given her no choice.And as easy as it would be to do nothing, if she allowed Mr.Park to perish because of the bead, she would be no better than the people she was fighting against.
Luckily for him, absorbing human energy took time, and Chin Sun could sense that her bead was nowhere near full.She wasn’t entirely certain how long it would take, but she guessed she had about a month before Mr.Park’s lifeforce ran out.
One month to fix this.
But she needed that bead now; otherwise, how could she protect the citizens of Sokju?
“Besides, he’s not just anyone,” she added.“He’s Kang Dol Sam’s friend—and my new bodyguard.”
“Bodyguard?”His tone was incredulous.“Since when do you need a bodyguard?”
She raised her eyebrows with a deadpan look.
“Ah.The delicate Lady Lee needed protection, so her rich fiancé made sure she was well taken care of.”
“Don’t talk about Kang Dol Sam like that,” she snapped.
“Sorry, it’s just difficult to think highly of someone whose family has gotten away with so many crimes against mine.”
It was hard to argue with him there.As two of the oldest yangban families in Gangwon Province, the Kims and the Kangs had a long-standing enmity, always trying to dominate the other.The Kangs were the more powerful right now, but that could change at any time.
She had never met Kang Dol Sam’s father, Lord Kang Ki Yong, personally, but the man was highly respected throughout the region for both his wisdom and dedication to Joseon’s well-being.
Too bad his patriotism didn’t extend to the people who got in his way.
Chin Sun hadn’t been able to pin anything on Lord Kang yet, but she’d uncovered plenty of unsavory information about his associates.Bribery, kidnapping, assault—it seemed Lord Kang’s men would stoop to anything to expand their lord’s power.
She and Min Joon had gotten quite a few arrested in the last six months, looking forward to the day they could finally take the greedy lord down, too.
Her betrothal to his son was a complication she hadn’t expected.
“Forget about your hatred for the Kangs for one moment, and listen to what I’m saying.Mr.Park has my fox bead.”
He shrugged.“And?I still like my idea of letting him die.If he’s a friend of the Kangs?—”
Chin Sun groaned.“That’s not an option, all right?And I need the bead back as soon as possible anyway.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because as soon as he swallowed it, I lost my powers.”
Min Joon’s mouth fell open.“All of them?What about your speed, your strength?”
